Investigators Say They Caught Murderer 21 Years After Cold Case But Can’t Do Anything About It

Washington State investigators alleged Thursday that they caught the murderer in a cold case from 21 years ago but said he cannot be prosecuted.

The Island County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) said they have officially closed the case of the Dec. 9, 2003 murder of Tamara “Tammy” Mattson, who was a 39-year-old mother of seven, in a Facebook post. Officials said they are “confident they have identified the perpetrator,” Carl D. Schlobom, 69, who is currently imprisoned for life without parole in Arizona for a 2005 murder.

“Unfortunately, Schlobom cannot be prosecuted for Ms. Mattson’s murder, even if prosecutors had sufficient evidence to prove his guilt, because he suffers from advanced dementia,” the ICSO said.

Mattson’s body was found in Camano Island State Park in 2003 and authorities followed up leads and conducted interviews for almost six years but did not advance the case. At the time of the initial investigation, officials found a cigarette butt in a parking lot near where Mattson’s remains were located.

Officials were able to test it for DNA in 2009 with assistance from the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab. The DNA matched Schlobom’s as his DNA was admitted to the national CODIS database following his 2005 conviction, according to police. Officials then had to prove that Schlobom was there when the murder occurred and not just a bystander or witness. Investigators then spent 10 years searching for any connections between Mattson and Schlobom. (Read more from “Investigators Say They Caught Murderer 21 Years After Cold Case but Can’t Do Anything About It” HERE)